Megaladon EP by The Krektones Review by Noel

I first saw The Krektones perform at the 2012 Instro Summit in The Cave in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I would be understating it if I said I was captivated by their stage presence and wowed by their musicianship. Musically very tight, and comfortably relaxed and loose at the same time, with a wonderfully eccentric, eclectic, unpredictable style, and off-center sound and feel, they were a joy to see and hear. I came away with their self-titled five-song 45-rpm EP, and wanting to see and hear more. That took a lot longer than I anticipated or wanted.

Two years later at the 2014 Instro Summit, that finally happened. Jason Krekel then told me they were working on a new record. And here it is - a four song 45-rpm EP titled Megaladon, which is also the title of the first song.

Megaladon
Any song sharing the name of a sixty foot long prehistoric shark had better be a killer, and this is. Question: What does a Megaladon eat? Answer: Anything it wants. And this megaladon has eaten iconographic elements of some famous genres of film and music. Swallowed whole, digested and turned them into a terrific song. Beginning with sonar pings picking up a monstrous take on the classic Jaws theme, followed by an old submarine dive alarm and a theme reminiscent of comic sci-fi films, the song then chases its prey along to iconic elements of noir jazz film scores and classically inspired spaghetti-style trumpet. And it doesn’t quit. You can swim and hide anywhere you want, but you can’t escape Megaladon. It’ll keep coming back until it gets you. Ping! There it is again.

Krekstar-1
Let us return to those halcyon days we imagined the future to look, sound and feel like. This is mid-century futuristic music we’re listening to aboard the Krekstar-1, our silver needle of a musical rocket ship heading into the tomorrow we imagined back then. All the hosts and hostesses have silver hair, silver jump-suits, silver gloves and silver boots. In the lounge the band plays this song. It sways its romantic melody and we’re caught in its tractor beam of emotion and inspiration. We’ll romance our way through space, listening to songs like Krekstar-1. This is my kind of space travel. Let’s Tango! We’ll dance our way through the Milky Way as we watch the stars go by. Krekstar-1 really takes me away. What a space trip.

Eradicator
The King of Kool. Eradicator is here! There was this film that was never made, about a freelance hit man who only took out the baddest of bad guys. They call him Eradicator. No one knows his number - no one needs to call him. No one knows what he looks like - no one sees him coming. No one knows where he’s been. But everyone knows what he’s done. This song is his theme, and his modus-operandi. Listen close, and you’ll know everything you’ll ever know about Eradicator. He swings. He dances. He shoots. He scores! James Colburn was going to play him. Only James Colburn could ever play Eradicator. They never made the film. Too bad. But the song Is a reminder of how fantastic it might have been. Watch out! Eradicator is real. The King of Kool!

Sinister Urge
Ever get one? A sinister urge, I mean? This is your song. They play it when the lights are way too low, and the shadowy corners of the rundown bar in the forgotten neighborhood look especially uninviting. There’s a girl over there, under a single bare bulb, dancing by herself to some sleazy-sounding music. And you feel the urge, the sinister urge, to go over and start dancing with her. Better not. One sinister urge leads to another, and jealousy is a very sinister urge. It’s hiding in the shadows, watching you watching her. Now might be a very good time to turn all your attention to that drink in your hand. But that’s another sinister urge. And just like your drink, or the girl, this Sinister Urge is irresistible.

Megaladon packs an awful lot of vivid imagination into its four songs. The musicianship is constantly top-notch, and the music is compelling, stimulating, and a lot of fun. The Krektones tell musical tales from the imagination’s unleashed wild side. I wish I could see them play live and in person more than once every couple of years. But I can play their records whenever I want. And so can you.